Study Techniques

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Study Techniques

• Fozia Ferozali RN.,MSN

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Learning

• Learning is an exceedingly complex activity that
  is influenced by various factors
• Genetic endowment
• Level of maturation
• Experiential background
• Effectiveness of formal instruction
• Self image
• Readiness to learn
• Level of motivation
• Extent of self study
• Learning is an active process that takes place
  within the learner.
• It is the role of the learner to participate in
  or initiate activities that promote learning
• Learning is a learned skill
• An individual must be motivated in order to learn

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Techniques that need to be utilized to prepare
for Multiple choice questions in Nursing

• Levels of Thinking Processes
• Knowledge
• Comprehension
• Application
• Analysis
• These techniques when studying will help you to
  comprehend more of what you studied and retain
  the information for a longer period of time.
• This foundation of information should increase
  your success in answering multiple-choice
  questions (which is important when taking state
  board exams).

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General Study Techniques

• Establish a routine
• Set aside a regular time to study
• Learning requires consistency, repetition, and
  practice
• Deciding to sit down to study is the most
  difficult part of studying!
• By committing yourself to a regular routine, you
  eliminate the repetitive need to make the
  decision to study
• Shorter, frequent study periods are most
  effective
• 1-3 hour study periods with 10 minute breaks each
  hour are most effective
• Get emotional and physical rest
• Get family support

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Set Goals

• Long term goals are your destination (an example
  is your goal of becoming an RN, LVN or PT)
• Short term goals are objectives that you must
  achieve so that you can reach your destination
  (an example is passing this class)
• It is wise to break a big task (long-term goal)
  into small manageable tasks(short-term goals)
  because it is easier to learn small bits of
  information than large block of information
• When writing goals, your goals must have the
  following 4 criteria (SMRT)
• Specific
• Measurable
• Realistic
• Time frame established
• The most effective learning is goal-directed
  learning because it is planned learning with a
  purpose.
• Goals that are met increase self esteem and
  enhance motivation.

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Stimulating Environment

• Your posture, surrounding, and equipment should
  mimic the School/ Testing environment
• Study at a desk or table and chair
• Avoid reclining chair, couch or bed
• Other Controlling Factors
• light
• eating

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Control Distracters

• When you are studying, try to control internal
  (growling stomach) and external (lawn mower
  sound) distracters
• Escape to the Study Zone when studying

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Identify the 3 Learning Domains

• Learning is the process by which you attain new
  information (cognitive domain), acquire new
  skills (Psychomotor domain), or formulate new
  attitudes (affective domain)

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Cognitive Domain

• In the Cognitive Domain, we use one or more of
  the 5 senses to acquire new information
• Multiple senses learned information
• Example When reading information about
  positioning patients, learning is reinforce by
  viewing pictures of patients actually in the
  various positions.

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Psychomotor Domain

• The Psychomotor Domain involves Role Playing
• So the information gets from the head to the hand
  and the participant must get actively involved
• An example of when someone is using psychomotor
  domain may be when they are lifting a patient in
  bed.

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Affective Domain

• Affective domain involves learning new attitudes.
  Learning new attitudes represents an increasing
  internalization or commitment to a feeling,
  belief, or value.
• Affective Domain is the most difficult type of
  learning because attitudes result from lifelong
  learning.
• Development of new attitudes is best learned
  within an atmosphere of acceptance and by
  exploring feelings, and observing appropriate
  role models.
• Example of using Affective Domain A student may
  know and understand the theory concerning why a
  person should be non-judgmental and yet in
  clinical situations be judgmental toward the
  patient.
• Another example of using Affective Domain Prior
  to providing physical hygiene for a patient for
  the first time, it is beneficial to explore
  feelings about invading a patients personal
  space.

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General Study Techniques Include

• Capture moments of Time by
• Using your spare moments wisely
• Carry flash cards, vocabulary list to review when
  you have unexpected time
• Use your spare time in addition to your regularly
  scheduled study time. Dont decide not to study
  for a day because you studied during a 10 minute
  break

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Utilizing Resources

• When you feel that you have reached a learning
  block (you dont think you can go on), you need
  to identify your needs and seek help immediately
• Study groups 3-5 students is a good idea
• Make sure your resource is a reliable

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Balance Sacrifices and Rewards

• Avoid overextending yourself
• Reduce work hours, share chores, limit social
  life
• These sacrifices are growth promoting
• Personal Rewards Are Very Important (Go dancing,
  watch a movie, have an ice cream, get a massage)

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Specific Study Techniques

• A nurse uses a variety of thinking processes when
  caring for patients. Therefore, nursing exams
  must reflect these thinking processes to
  effectively evaluate the safe practice of
  nursing.
• The 4 types of thinking processes involved in
  multiple-choice questions and are within the
  cognitive domain and include Knowledge,
  Comprehension, Application, Analysis
• (These are the 4 thinking processes used for
  state board questions)

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Knowledge Is the thinking process that requires
the lowest level of learning.

• Knowledge requires you to remember information.
• There are various methods that are used to
  remember information such as repetition, use of
  acrostics and acronyms

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Memorization/Repetition

• Use Alphabet Cues to memorize information
• ABC (airway, breathing, circulation
• 3 Ps for the cardinal signs of diabetes
  Mellitus
• Polydipsia, Polyurea,Polyphagia
• Acronym a word formed from the first letters of
  a series of facts.
• The American Cancer Society teaches the early
  warning signs of cancer through the Acronym
  CAUTION
• Change in bowel and bladder habits
• A sore that does not heal
• Unusual bleeding or discharge
• Thickening or a lump
• Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing
• Obvious change in a wart or mole
• Nagging cough or hoarseness

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Acronyms continued...

• When assessing a patient for adaptations
  indicating the presence of infection, remember
  the acronym INFECT
• Increased pulse and respirations
• Nodes are enlarged
• Function is impaired
• Erythema, edema, exudate
• Complaints of discomfort or pain
• Temperature- local and/or systemic

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Acrostics

• A phrase, motto, or verse in which a letter of
  each word prompts the memory to retrieve
  information
• When studying the fat soluble vitamins remember
  the motto All Dieters Eat Kilocalories
• A,D,E,K are fat soluble vitamins
• When studying metric equivalents, remember
• There are 15 GRAINS of sugar in 1 GRAM cracker

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Comprehension Is the thinking process that
requires you to understand information

• Not only commits facts to memory but shows
  ability to translate, interpret, and determine
  the implications of the information.

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Application Is the thinking process that
requires you to apply the information

• In Application, take remembered and understood
  information and apply them to concrete
  situations.
• This thinking process tests your ability to use
  information in a new situation.

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Analysis Is the thinking process that is the
highest level of learning

• Analysis requires you to interpret a variety of
  data and recognize the commonalities, differences
  and interrelationships among them.
• Analysis assumes that you know, understand, and
  can apply information and so now you must
  identify, examine, dissect, evaluate, or
  investigate the information presented.
• Analysis requires an ability to analyze
  information which is a higher thought process
  than knowing, understanding, or applying
  information.

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Example of applying the 4 types of thinking
processes when studying Blood Pressure

• First memorize the parameters of a normal blood
  pressure (knowledge)
• Second, develop an understanding of what factors
  influence and produce a normal blood pressure
  (Comprehension)
• Third, Identify a particular patient situation
  that would necessitate obtaining a blood pressure
  (application).
• Fourth and Finally, differentiate among a variety
  of situations and determine which has the highest
  priority for assessing the blood pressure
  (analysis)

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When you are studying, try to relate new
Information to Prior information that you learned

• Learning is easier when information to be learned
  is associated with what you already know.